Brent Selby, cellist and teacher, is from the small town of Bath, North Carolina, where he was raised on a farm.  After seeing Yo Yo Ma perform on PBS he decided he was interested in music and learning to play the cello.  Mr. Selby earned his bachelor’s degree from New England Conservatory studying with Natasha Brofsky and then privately studied with violinist, Mela Tenenbaum.  In addition to performing with various local ensembles, he has been teaching cello for Lifelong Learning Academy for ten years.  Mr. Selby is as passionate about providing quality music instruction for children as much as he loves performing.  In 2018, Mr. Selby joined the Rhode Island Philharmonic’s cello section. In 2021 he was appointed assistant principal cellist of the Portland Symphony Orchestra, and in 2022 was appointed principal cellist of the Rhode Island Philharmonic.  

Kyung Nam Oh – Cello Instructor 2 of 2
Kyung-Nam Oh has been teaching cello since 2002, and his passion for teaching cello to students has led to many successful students’ concerts as well as multiple competition winners. He earned a Master’s degree from Ball State University and a Performance Diploma from Indiana University with a Dean's Scholarship. He also has a wide range of teaching experience that includes teaching elementary to college aged students in one-on-one lessons, chamber group coaching, and orchestra conducting. He was an adjunct cello faculty at Anderson University and Taylor University for 10 years. He also served as Music Director of Master’s Youth Orchestra and Anderson University Chamber Orchestra. He has been the Orchestra Director of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School since 2018. 

Patricia Marshall – Saxophone and Clarinet Instructor
Patricia Marshall grew up in Austin, Texas where she received her undergraduate degree in Music Education from The University of Texas with a performance certificate.  She moved to Boston in 1983 and attended the New England Conservatory of Music and studied with Peter Hadcock, earning a Master’s Degree in clarinet performance. Since moving to New England, Mrs. Marshall has performed with the Plymouth Philharmonic, the Tri-county Symphonic Band, The American Band, the Marion Concert Band, and many more. Mrs. Marshall has also taught private clarinet lessons to students from several area schools including Wachusett Regional High School, Braintree, Foxboro, Medway, and Bellingham.  In 2018, Mrs. Marshall retired from teaching Public School Music with 32 years of experience.  She served as a Band, Orchestra, Choral and General Music educator.

Lori Halt received her master's degree in musical performance from Boston University's School for the Arts and her bachelor's degree in musical performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where she studied with celebrated flutist, Timothy Day.  She performed regularly with several orchestral and chamber groups while in CA, and was invited to perform with the Luzern Symphony in Switzerland for the country's 700th anniversary celebration.  Lori is currently a performing member of the Claflin Hill Symphony, Claflin Hill Summer Winds, Chaminade Opera and the Charles River Sinfonietta. As a freelancer, she has performed extensively throughout New England with ensembles including the Plymouth Philharmonic, Falmouth Chorale, Southeastern Massachusetts Festival Chorus, Taunton Festival Orchestra and several musical production companies. She also performs as solo flutist at the St. Ignatius Cathedral at Boston College.

Ellis O'Donnell – Flute Instructor 2 of 2

Ellis O’Donnell is a freelance flutist and teacher.  She has taught flute for many years, both in school music programs and privately.  She focuses on motivating students, teaching good technique, and helping students make beautiful music.  She has been an adjudicator for Rhode Island All-State and Massachusetts Southeast District competitions, and coached students who have placed in MA Central District, and MA All-State.  She has performed recently on flute, alto flute and bass flute with the NEC Metropolitan Flute Orchestra, the Thayer Performing Arts Flute Choir, the Merrimac Valley Flute Choir, the Wheaton Community Flute Choir, and the Carter Center Flute Choir.  In 2017, she played flute with the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s “Onstage at Symphony” orchestra at Symphony Hall, with BSO conductor Thomas Wilkins.  Ellis graduated from Boston University with a degree in psychology, while continuing her flute studies with Paul Fried of the BSO, and John Curran of Brown and the RI Philharmonic.  After graduating from BU, she attended Berklee College of Music. 

Kevin Martins is a Horn player with degrees in Psychology, Philosophy, Music Education, and Horn Performance from Bristol Community College as well as the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.  He currently works in Blackstone and Millville where he teaches middle school band, high school jazz, beginning band, and the two-time National Champion Blackstone Millville Regional Marching Band. Mr. Martins resides with his wife Shannan, his daughter Leora, and his son Kellen in Plainville, Massachusetts. In his free time, Mr. Martins enjoys fly fishing, disc golf, and photography.

Mike Goodspeed received his bachelor’s degree in performance and sound recording technology from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He later completed Bridgewater State University’s APB program to become licensed as a music teacher. Mike has taught guitar lessons privately and in public and private schools since 1999. Several of Mike’s students have gone on to major in music in college and play professionally. Mike enjoys teaching students of all ages and has helped many nervous children and adults to play their first “gig” in front of an audience during student concerts. Mike’s guitar playing can be heard on his recent online release “Two Children”.

Eric Christensen - Guitar Instructor 2 of 2 (Acoustic, Electric, Ukulele)

Eric Christensen has taught and performed professionally on guitar for over twenty years. He is proficient in a variety of styles including classical, metal, jazz, rock and musicals. Primarily a classical guitarist, he has performed throughout the country and in a variety of settings. He has performed live on National Public Radio (NPR) in Palm Beach, Florida. Eric gives master classes and chamber music coachings to area high schools and special presentations to elementary schools throughout the country. He has directed and adjudicated the Rhode Island All-State Guitar Ensembles. As a jazz guitarist he has played many gigs as part of a combo or a big band and has played for several Broadway style musicals in many states. He has recorded CDs with such ensembles as Enigmatica and the Providence Mandolin Orchestra. Eric received his B.M. from Lawrence University, his M.M. from Yale University School of Music, and his G.D. from the New England Conservatory. He studied guitar with Eliot Fisk, Benjamin Verdery, Michael Nicolella, and Robert Paul Sullivan. He currently teaches guitar at Rhode Island College, Roger Williams University and Ensemble Music School.

Chip Halt began his musical career at age seven with the piano.  Over the years, he moved on to trumpet, trombone, and bass trombone, before finding his home with the lowest of brass instruments, the tuba. He quickly won recognition, performing the Vaughan Williams Concerto for Tuba with the Phoenix Symphony while in his junior year of high school. In the past ten years, Chip has played in Canada, Europe, Asia and most of the United States with a number of chamber groups, orchestras and as soloist.  In addition to performing, Chip has given clinics and masterclasses throughout the United States. He is the Principal Tuba with the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra and the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra. Along with his duties with Brass Venture, he maintains a busy schedule of private teaching, solo appearances and performing with various ensembles throughout New England.

STRING BASS
Mike Goodspeed - String and Electric Bass Instructor

Mike Goodspeed is a string and electric bass player with a bachelor’s degree in music performance and sound recording technology from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He later completed Bridgewater State University’s APB program to become licensed as a music teacher. He has performed with some of the area’s best-known rock, jazz, classical and general business groups.  Mike currently teaches bass lessons in several area public schools while also maintaining his own private lesson studio. His bass playing and original compositions can be heard on his recent online release “...Bass Fishing”.

TRUMPET
Julie Signa – Trumpet Instructor
Julie Signa is the general music teacher and chorus director at Bellingham Memorial School, in Bellingham, MA. She graduated from Rhode Island College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. She studied trumpet with Joe Foley and voice with Susan Rodgers. She was a member of the Rhode Island College Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Brass Ensemble, Trumpet Ensemble, and Rhode Island College Chorus. As a member of the Rhode Island College Chorus, she toured Germany and Prague under the direction of Dr. Teresa Coffman.  She plays with the American Band as a member of the trumpet section. 

VIOLIN / VIOLA
Steven Sergi – Violin/Viola Instructor (1 of 2)
Violist Steven Sergi began his musical journey at eight years old in Franklin, Massachusetts. Under the tutelage of Don Krishnaswami, Steven served as principal violist for the Boston Youth Symphony Repertory Orchestra, the Metrowest Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin Repertory Orchestra. Steven continued his studies at the Boston Conservatory. In 2014 Steven received his Master of Music Degree in Viola Performance at the Boston University College of Fine Arts. As a freelance musician in the Boston area he performs regularly with the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, Atlantic Symphony, and is a founding member of the Glenside Quartet. As a passionate teacher, Steven is a strong advocate of natural and artistic playing supported by good physical posture and technique.

Carla Loukota - Violin/Viola Instructor (2 of 2)

Mrs. Loukota received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education and has performed in string quartets, chamber groups, and large orchestras in New Mexico and Massachusetts.